Retinoic acid is known to be useful for the treatment of acne. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,568, which discloses the use of retinoic acid compositions for the treatment of acne. While retinoic acid is also known to have ultraviolet (UV) absorption properties, it is not useful as a sunscreen agent for skin application because of its irritating effects on human skin in effective sunscreening amounts, as well as other metabolic effects. Although these effects are useful in the treatment of acne, they negate the usefulness of retinoic acid as a human sunscreening agent. Surprisingly, of the 48 novel esters and amides of all-trans-retinoic acid which we have prepared, 41 have been found to be non-irritating to human skin and to be substantially free of the metabolic effects characteristic of retinoic acid. The other seven compounds, which are useful for the treatment of acne, are the subject of our U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,659 entitled "Retinoic Acid Derivatives."